Darren Breen | The Grand Rapids PressCalvin Holmes, referred to as "naked man" in testimony by other witnesses, speaks at the preliminary hearing for Russell Vane on Thursday. Holmes considered himself to be murder victim Kathy Darling's boyfriend at the time of her death.

GRAND RAPIDS -- Calvin Holmes -- called the "naked man in the closet" in previous testimony -- told today about how it is that he was at the Michigan Street Apartment hours before and after police say Russell Vane killed 17-year-old pregnant mother Kathy Darling in March of 1976.

Holmes, who claimed to be an expert in the martial arts style known as "the way of no way," said he started seeing Darling after her husband, Michael, was sent to prison, a fact not appreciated by friends and family of the prisoner.

On March 19, 1976, Holmes said he was sleeping with Darling at her home as her infant son slept nearby when Vane and a group of other teens came crashing into the apartment.

"I knew trouble was coming," Holmes said.

Holmes, who had just turned 16 at the time, said he dove naked into a closet and held the door before it was forced open by the people in the home.

Holmes said he faced off with the group of large men naked before he was thrown his clothes and managed to take off out the door where he ran to a nearby restaurant and called police as the group pursued.

"I wasn't chased, I fled," said Holmes. "I chose the moment.'

Holmes said he was threatened with being "taken up north to the woods."

Holmes said he went to a friend's home and called Darling over and over to find the phone was busy. The next morning, he went to the apartment and found Darling's body.

He said he kissed her and discovered her ligature wounds and then he and a friend alerted police.

As fate would have it, Holmes and Vane later worked together for a roofing company and during that time Holmes said Vane talked about the Darling case.

"He said he passed a polygraph because he was using heroin, and he had no feelings," Holmes said.

At another time in the late 1970s, Holmes said he "annihilated" Vane in a fight using his martial art skills and innate courage.

Holmes said he believed the baby she was caring was his, and he said he suffered trauma and depression since the incident in 1976.

Defense attorney Richard Hillary verbally parried with Holmes for several minutes with Holmes refusing to answer his questions with yes or no responses until the last question.

"Did you come up (to her apartment) after they chased you out and kill her?" Hillary asked.